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Apprenticeships vital to encourage more young people into IT profession says BCS

6 March 2015

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, believes that IT apprenticeships have a vital role to play in helping to fill the emerging skills gap the profession faces and is calling on employers to support apprenticeship schemes.

Paul Fletcher, Group CEO of the Institute, explains: “Research shows that the IT profession will face a serious skills shortage in the coming years which is a real threat. We must address this by encouraging young people to recognise IT as a great career option and provide them with different entry points. Apprenticeships are one entry option, offering young people an exciting, hands-on approach to learning with direct access to a career that they may not have considered otherwise.

“I know the benefit of apprenticeships from personal experience as I started my own career in this way and have always been very grateful for the fantastic foundation it created for my ongoing development. For employers, apprenticeships are a great way to attract new talent.”

The Institute has been named as one of three assessment organisations for the Digital Industry Trailblazer apprenticeships. The first two IT apprenticeships to launch are Network Engineer and Software Developer. Apprentices studying these via a training provider assessed by the Institute will be given BCS membership for the length of their apprenticeship.

Stefano Capaldo, Managing Director from Firebrand Training, says: “Many more young people are considering alternative ways into education and work and apprenticeships do just that. They offer young people a real job where they get access to training and experience that will give them a real advantage in the job market.”

Simon Perriton the CEO of Just IT Training says: “We believe that apprenticeships are a great beginning to a life time of learning and career progression. It’s a tried and tested process that provides apprentices with a great opportunity to kick-start their tech career and employers a cost-effective and well-qualified IT professional.”

The Digital Industry Trailblazer standards published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have been purposely aligned with the new Professional Registration of IT Technicians that the Institute, together with the Gatsby Foundation will launch later this year. An individual awarded an IT Trailblazer apprenticeship will be eligible to apply for a place on the professional register.